Our Governance - Open Place

OUR GOVERNANCE

Open Place is funded by the Victorian State Government, the Department of Human Services and most recently the Commonwealth Government, Department of Social Services. Department of Social Service funding for the Find and Connect program commenced on 1st July, 2012. This funding provides additional staffing to our records, counselling and coordinated support teams.

Open Place continues to be auspiced by Berry Street.

Many of our service delivery functions are also supported by a number of agencies as listed below who provide local, regional and state-wide services across Victoria. These agencies help us to respond to local needs, provide us with venues to work from in regional areas, contribute their skills, wisdom and expertise and share a commitment to improving the lives of Forgotten Australians:

Child and Family Service Ballarat

Connecting Home

Glastonbury Family Services

Kildonan

Link Up

MacKillop Family Services

Oz Child

Relationships Australia

St Luke’s Bendigo

Vanish

All of our work and our governance is underpinned by listening to as many Forgotten Australians as possible to ensure that we are able to meet the needs of as many people as possible.

To this end, we are committed to regularly consulting with Forgotten Australians and their families and supporters to hear what is needed, how we are able to help and how we can continue to promote the work of Open Place to make it available to as many Forgotten Australians as possible.

Much of the consultation happens at social and support groups.

Open Place has an ongoing relationship with Care Leavers of Australia Network (CLAN) and the Alliance for Forgotten Australians (AFA). Both these organisations provide support and advice to Open Place.